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New Muslim Cool Campaign

New Muslim Cool is a powerful documentary by filmmaker Jennifer Taylor that tells the story of Hamza Pérez, a young Puerto Rican hip hop artist who converted to Islam at age 21, pulling himself off the streets to become a community activist and rising star. The film follows Hamza as he reaches for a deeper understanding of his faith, discovering new connections with people from Christian and Jewish communities. To maximize the power of this story, Active Voice and the makers of New Muslim Cool spearheaded an initiative supported by national and grassroots partners from across sectors and faiths. By tapping into the leadership and energy of youth and interfaith networks, the New Muslim Cool Campaign seeks to: open conversations about faith, race, class, and culture; raise awareness of the diversity of American Muslim communities and enrich interfaith, cross-cultural understanding; inspire new community and civic engagement; and help to strengthen coalitions across identity lines. The campaign provided support and guidance for strategic sneak preview screenings by working with event hosts to encourage meaningful participation by diverse coalitions. It has continued to facilitate post-broadcast events on campuses and in community settings. The campaign also provides tools and activities to encourage youth engagement. Youth are encouraged to come together through their music, faith, and a shared interest in social change through the NMC Facebook page, viral video campaign, and web and mobile media project.